Although we recommend eating most of the diet raw, a number of studies have shown that steaming preserves more nutrients than other forms of cooking, and in certain instances can even increase or release nutrients over and above what you’d get from eating the vegetables in question raw. Glucosinolates are compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts) that protect against cancer. Scientists suggest that 3-5 servings a week of cruciferous vegetables provide a substantial cancer protective benefit. But to become properly activated, glucosinolates need to be mixed with the plant enzyme myrosinase. This mixing happens when you bite into your broccoli or Brussels sprout and crush the cellulose walls that otherwise keep the glucosinolates and myrosinase separated. But cooking can destroy myrosinase, and who wants to eat raw broccoli? Fortunately, according to a recent article in Tuft’s Health and Nutrition Letter, scientists at the Un…